Ethics and quality improvement

Abstract

Healthcare professionals have a responsibility to protect the patient's rights, and their rights, in both quality improvement and research endeavors. Typically, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are in place to review and provide oversight which ensures ethical standards are in place to protect the rights of humans participating in the effort. Guidelines and checklists have been developed to help determine if the design protocol of a quality improvement initiative intersects with a research methodology and should be reviewed by an IRB. This chapter discusses these guidelines and checklists, the important milestones in shaping biomedical ethics in the United States, and a variety of frameworks that can be used to guide decision-making and best practice in the clinical setting.